Kofi Akpaloo defends NDC MPs’ occupation of Majority side, faults Bagbin’s handling of matter

Kofi Akpaloo, leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), has publicly backed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament(MPs) for occupying the majority side in Parliament, despite a court ruling that suggested otherwise. In an interview with Fiifi Praat on Kingdom FM monitored by MyNewsGH, Akpaloo acknowledged the controversial move but expressed satisfaction with the peaceful handling of the situation.

Akpaloo commented on the recent uproar surrounding the seating arrangement in Parliament after the Supreme Court overturned a prior ruling by Speaker Alban Bagbin, which led to the loss of four seats by MPs who had run as independents. He argued that while the NDC’s actions could be seen as defiance, they were justified in maintaining their position, given the circumstances at the time.

“The NDC MPs didn’t do anything wrong by occupying the majority side,” Akpaloo stated. “The Speaker of Parliament had initially ruled in their favor, and until the Speaker announced the Supreme Court’s new directive, they had every right to remain there. It’s about maintaining order and respecting processes.”

Akpaloo also took the opportunity to address the Speaker’s role in the unfolding situation. He criticized Alban Bagbin for his failure to immediately reconcile with the Supreme Court’s decision and notify the House of the development, leading to what he called unnecessary tension.

“It’s the Speaker’s responsibility to communicate critical decisions like this to Parliament,” Akpaloo added. “He should have acknowledged the Supreme Court’s ruling and guided the MPs accordingly. His failure to act on this set the stage for potential disorder.”

Despite his critique of Bagbin, Akpaloo commended both factions in Parliament, the NPP and NDC, for maintaining decorum in a potentially volatile situation. He pointed out that neither side resorted to violence or any major disruptions, a sign that maturity and calm prevailed even in the face of political tension.

“Both sides deserve credit for how they managed the situation. It’s not easy to navigate such rulings, especially when emotions run high,” Akpaloo said. “But the Supreme Court is the ultimate authority, and once they have made a ruling, it must be respected.”

Akpaloo concluded by warning that failure to uphold the Supreme Court’s authority in such matters could lead to future chaos, as ignoring judicial rulings could set a dangerous precedent.

“We cannot afford to disregard the Supreme Court’s rulings, no matter how difficult they are to accept. If we start doing that, it opens the door to lawlessness and sets a bad example for future parliamentary procedures,” he asserted.

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